Below are a few resources of information for fans of Napa Valley wine and its culture/history.
Napa Valley Vintners
Vintage Reports
¡ Vintage Charts:
https://napavintners.com/napa_valley/vintage_charts.asp
¡ Vintage Recaps:"
"2021 âThe Joy is Backâ
âThe 2021 vintage will be remembered for low yields with intensely-flavored, small-sized berries and a smooth and uneventful harvest season. The season started off with very little rain, leading to the 2nd year of drought conditions in Napa Valley, Harvest began early with white wine grapes picked on July 30th and red wine grapes beginning on August 31. While concerning in the long term, the drought of 2021 resulted in a more natural load on the vines, requiring less pruning and dropping of fruit. The resulting grapes are packed full of flavor. Winemakers across the valley are excited about the prospects of the 2021s and it is likely the smaller yields per vine and smaller berry size will result in another amazing vintage from Napa Valley.â
"2020 âDespite the Challenges, the 2020 Vintage will not be Absent from the History Bookâ
âThe 2020 season will be remembered for factors beyond the normal measurements. Here in the valley, it was a warm, dry winter and we didnât start to see rain and cold weather until the end of March. While the mild spring season gave us a great early start, the wineries of Napa Valley worked under extensive safety protocols due to the COVID pandemic. Summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days. This build-up to harvest was interrupted by two wildfires as we turned to the fall; The LNU Complex Fire started on August 17th and the Glass Fire started on September 27. The white wine harvest started in early August, the wines are showing excellent development in cellars, reflecting the fine vintage year. While the red wine harvest will be smaller than usual, most wineries were able to move forward with red wine vinification. While the 2020 Napa Valley harvest proved to be one of the most challenging in history, our winemakers remain not only optimistic but committed to bottling wines of the highest quality. The story of this vintage will continue to unfold over the years to come.â
"2019 âA long, warm summer and mild finish to the seasonâ
âThe beginning of the 2019 growing season was defined by copious rainfall and late soil moisture. The long, warm summer saw very few extreme heat events, with foggy mornings setting the stage for vibrant and expressive wines. The long, relatively mild finish to the season, not without its moments of unpredictability, helped to preserve freshness and finesse in the fruit with abundant hang time teasing out great color, structure and soft tannins. Volume is looking to be about average to a little less than average. All in all, exceptional fruit with bright acidity and ample texture promises an amazing vintageâŚâ.
Napa Valley Sessions Video Collection:
https://education.napavintners.com/past-sessions/
Napa Valley Wine Library
https://www.napawinelibrary.com/
NVWL Report Online Archive (UC Davis):
https://digital.ucdavis.edu/collection/nvwl
Spring Mountain District Historical Podcasts (Oral History):
https://springmountaindistrict.org/historical-podcasts-spring-mountain/
Napa Valley Register
âGrowers, Vintners Share Oral Histories of St. Helenaâs Spring Mountain Districtâ
by Jesse Duarte
August 12, 2019
"The unique mountain wines and colorful characters of St. Helenaâs Spring Mountain are the subject of a series of oral history podcasts released by the Spring Mountain District Association.
"Jeff Schechtman, founder and manager of NAPAbroadcasting.com, interviewed 21 vintners and growers for 19 podcasts. The series is available at springmountaindistrict.org.
â'To our knowledge, no other wine-growing region has presented a comprehensive set of oral histories of this type,â said Association President Sheldon RichardsâŚ".
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